Transport through Poland requires particular attention when it comes to electronic transport declarations and monitoring vehicle movement. In addition to the obligation to register the transport in the relevant system, carriers must also ensure the transmission of geolocation data while the transport is being carried out on the territory of Poland.

Why is transport declaration in Poland important?

Poland uses different electronic transport monitoring systems to control the movement of goods, the use of transport permits and carriers’ compliance with regulations.

For carriers, it is particularly important to understand that a transport declaration is not merely a formality. An incorrectly submitted declaration, incorrect data, failure to submit a declaration or inactive geolocation tracking may lead to the detention of the transport, additional inspections and fines. For this reason, timely administrative preparation is essential for transport companies carrying out transport through Poland, to Poland or from Poland.

SENT declaration in Poland

The electronic transport monitoring system in Poland (SENT) is used to declare the transport of goods subject to special supervision, such as excise goods, dangerous goods, waste and other categories of goods included on the list of goods for which a declaration obligation is prescribed. The obligation to submit a declaration in the SENT system applies to transit, import, export and domestic transport of specific types of goods on the territory of Poland.

Before submitting a SENT declaration, it is necessary to check whether the goods being transported fall under the declaration obligation in accordance with the applicable customs nomenclature, i.e. the CN code. You can check the list of goods subject to supervision here.

The SENT declaration obligation applies to all carriers, regardless of whether they are registered in the EU or outside the EU, if they transport goods included on the SENT list. You can read more about SENT declarations, carriers’ obligations and the EXPO service here.

RMPD declaration in Poland

In addition to the SENT system, transport companies must also pay attention to the RMPD declaration, which relates to the registration of transport on the territory of Poland. Unlike the SENT system, which is primarily focused on the goods being transported, RMPD relates to the type of transport, the carrier and the use of the appropriate transport permits.

The RMPD declaration obligation applies to non-EU carriers, such as carriers from Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and other non-EU countries, for transit, transport to/from Poland and even movements of vehicles without goods, while for EU carriers it applies to transport to/from Poland from non-EU countries.

What is the difference between SENT and RMPD declarations?

Although both systems serve to monitor transport on the territory of Poland, the difference lies in the basis for the declaration:

• SENT declaration is submitted because of the goods being transported.
•  RMPD declaration is submitted because of the transport operation being carried out.

In certain situations, a carrier may be required to submit both declarations. For example, if goods subject to SENT monitoring are being transported and, at the same time, the transport is subject to RMPD registration, both obligations must be fulfilled before the transport begins.

e-TOLL PL application and the obligation to transmit geolocation data

In addition to registering the transport in the RMPD/SENT system, the carrier must ensure that the vehicle transmits geolocation data during transport through Poland via the e-TOLL PL application. In practice, the e-TOLL PL application is most often installed on the driver’s mobile phone and must be active for the entire time the vehicle is on the territory of Poland and while the declared transport is being carried out.

The driver must start the application before beginning movement along the route for which the declaration has been submitted. If the application stops working, the vehicle must stop and may continue the transport only after the application has been restarted.

Most common risks for transport companies

In transport through Poland, problems most often arise when the declaration, transport documentation and geolocation tracking are not aligned with each other, or when the driver does not act properly before the start of transport and during the performance of the transport. This applies, in particular, in cases where:

• the declaration was not submitted before the start of transport;
• the goods were not properly checked according to the CN code;
• the data in the declaration do not correspond to the actual transport;
• geolocation data are not transmitted during transport;
• the driver did not start the e-TOLL PL application;
• the application stops working and the vehicle continues driving.

For this reason, it is important to check the obligations for Poland before the start of the transport operation.

EXPO – Your partner for compliance with regulations in Poland

To help you avoid administrative issues during transport operations in Poland, EXPO provides expert support in the field of EU transport compliance, including:
  – Submission of SENT/RMPD declarations on behalf of transport operators
  – Driver posting declarations in accordance with EU regulations
  – Monitoring and prevention of penalty risks
  – Provision of a representative in Poland

In international transport, knowledge of regulations has become a key element of risk management and business protection, which is why timely administrative compliance is essential for safe operations on the EU market.

Do you need assistance with compliance with Polish regulations?
Contact us!